JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 6,600 jobs in April 2025, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment decreased by 6,900 jobs and government employment increased by 300 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 4,200 jobs from April 2024 to April 2025, and the unemployment rate increased by two-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.7 percent in April 2024 to 3.9 percent in April 2025.
EMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment was 2,994,600 in April 2025, down by 6,600 from the revised March 2025 figure. The March 2025 total was revised downward by 5,100 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries decreased by 600 jobs over the month, with manufacturing declining by 700 jobs and mining, logging, and construction gaining 100 jobs. Private service-providing industries declined by 6,300 jobs between March 2025 and April 2025. Employment in private service-providing industries decreased in leisure and hospitality (-1,800 jobs); other services (-1,100 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,100 jobs); professional and business services (-900 jobs); financial activities (-900 jobs); and information (-700 jobs). Employment increased in private education and health services (200 jobs). Total government employment increased by 300 jobs over the month, with increases in state (200 jobs) and local government (200 jobs) and a decline in federal government (-100 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 4,200 jobs from April 2024 to April 2025. Employment gains were in private education and health services (16,600 jobs); other services (1,300 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (600 jobs). Employment decreased in leisure and hospitality (-7,100 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-4,400 jobs); professional and business services (-2,900 jobs); manufacturing (-2,600 jobs); information (-2,100 jobs); and financial activities (-200 jobs). Government employment increased by 5,000 jobs over the year, with increases in state (4,200 jobs) and local (1,600 jobs) government and a decrease in federal government (-800 jobs).
UNEMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.9 percent in April 2025. The April 2025 rate was two-tenths of a percentage point higher than the April 2024 rate of 3.7 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 124,132 in April 2025, up by 3,299 from the revised March total of 120,833.
The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased in April 2025, declining by six-tenths of a percentage point to 3.8 percent from the March 2025 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 4.4 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 3.3 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for April 2025 was 3.9 percent.
Missouri’s labor force participation rate was 63.4 percent in April 2025, eight-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.6 percent. Missouri’s employment-population ratio was 60.9 percent in April 2025, nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 60 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in April 2025, three-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 4.2 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for 10 years.
Read the full report at https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.